The Catholic World.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 13, 28 March 1901, Page 27

The Catholic World.

ENGLAND.— The Westminster Cathedral— The great Catholic Cathedral at Westminster, which was to have been opened in the autumn of last year, is still occupying the attention of an army of bnilderH 1 workmen, but an inspection of the edifice shows a state of progress that encourages the hope that in a few months public worship may be commenced within it, thus realising the long-cheriahed ambition of English Catholics to hear the rich liturgy of their Ciiuroh with full oeioruonLil in a building worthy to compare with the great cathedrals of the Continent. Most of the scaffolding has been removed, ami the iuterior presents a vista of majestic proportions, the nave being loftier and larger than any other in the kingdom. The rare marble columns of the nave and transepts have long been in their places, and the crypt of St. Peter, under the sanctuary, is similarly equipped. Most of the 12 chapels, too, are (Bays the Manchester Guardian) ready for their altars and the incrustation of marble and mosaic on the floors, walls, and ceilings. When the shell of the building is quite completed — and on it £140,000 haa been expended during the last five and a half years — the authorities will sanotion publio worship. Although the scheme of internal decoration will be left to the future, a Bpecial effort ia being made to begin at once the lining of walls with marble up to the line from which the mosaic setting will begin. The great campanile, already a prominent feature among the towers of London, is now 183 feet high, and 90 feet of masonry and leadwork has still to be added before the cross is fixed on the apex of the cupola. ROME-— Death Of a Cardinal-— Cardinal Sebastian Galeati, Archbishop of Ravenna, died in Home on January 25, aged 79. The deceased Prince of the Church was appointed to the Archbishopric of Ravenna in 1887, and three years later the Holy Father, in recognition of his great learning and truly apostolic zeal, bestowed the purple on him, with the presbyteri*l title of S. Lorenzo in Panisperna. The death of Cardinal Galeati reduces the number of Cardinals to only 55, so that there are now ] 7 vacancies in the Sacred College. No fewer than 185 Cardinals passed away during the 23 years of Leo XIII's Pontificate, and of these four had been created by Gregory XVI., 56 by Pius IX., and 75 by the present Pope. SCOTLAND-— An Interesting Survival —The Very Rev. David O. Hunter-Blair, 0.5.8., writes as follows from Oxford University to & Scottish newspaper: — 'May I point out that the event chronicled by Strype in the sixteenth century, if " it has had no parallel in England until the other day," has been paralleled nearer horne — namely, in the heart of Scotland, and that nearly 14 years ago. In July, 1887, the first abbot of Fort- Augustus received the solemn abbatial blessing from Monsignor (afterwards Cardinal) Persico, specially delegated for this purpose by Pope Leo XIII. The historical parallel, not less interesting to Scotsmen consists in t he fact that the Abbey of Fort-Augustus represents a survival or revival of the venerable Schottenkloster or Scottish monastery of

St. James at Ratisbon, founded by Marionua Sootus as far back as the eleventh oentury, and dissolved in 1863. The last survivor of the community, the late Father Anselm Robertson, came over to Scotland, bringing with him many of the archives and valuable manuscripts, which are now at Fort- Augustus. He joined the community there on its formation in 1877, and the same year assisted to clothe the first Fort- Augustus novice in the Benedictine habit. ' UNITED STATES.-Catholic Temperance Societies — The growth of Catholic Temperance Sooieties in the United States (writes the Rev. Father Doyle) during the last few years has been phenomenal. In 18i>2 we numbered but 49,000 ; in 1900 we are 81,437, and now we are reaching out for the iOu.OGK) mark. Besides the professed members there are many thousands who feel the influence of our work in their homes, through the ban that hat) been put on the social glass. Otber fraternal organisations, by means of the public sentiment resulting from our work, have felt themselves so strengthened as to refuse to allow liquor-sellers to become members ; and it is not an unusual thing now to find large gatherings at banquets during which no wine is served. Another great good the national organisation has done is to preserve the temperance movement among Catholics wholesome and well within the lines of conservative orthodoxy. The value of this statement becomes more apparent when we consider the radical principles of unguided movements. To have preserved a movement from being invaded by the crank or by the fanatic is a great gain in itself. The truths that we stand for do not include the statement that the use of intoxicating drinks is an evil in itself, but it is rather the abase that we condemn. We are leagued against the vice of intemperance, and our opposition is reserved for all that encourages and fosters drunkenness. Proposed Visit of Cardinal Gibbons to Rome.— Cardinal Gibbons is preparing to make his ' decennial visit ' to Rome Since his first journey to Rome (pays an American exchange), 31 years ago, Cardinal Gibbons has visited the Pope four times. The present journey of Cardinal Gibbons is significant from the fact that, in compliance with the request of his friend, Cardinal Herbert Vaughan, Archbishop of Westminster, he will preach at the opening of the new Westminster Cathedral. This magnificent church has been in course of construction for many years, and marks the spot, as it were, where John Carroll, the firßt Archbishop of Baltimore and Primate of the United States, was consecrated by Bishop Richard Walrusley, of London. GENERAL. Leading Events of the Past Century.— The leading events of the last century in which Catholics are, as such, interested are : The re-establishment of Jesuits (1814). The defeat of the persecutor, Napoleon, at Waterloo (1815). The Act of Catholic Emancipation passed by the British Parliament (1829). The temperance movement set on foot by Father Mathew (1838). The Oxford Movement (183K). The conversion of John Henry Newman (1845). The accession of Pius IX. (1846). The re-establishment of English hierarchy (ISoO). The definition of the Immaculate Conception of Our Blessed Lady (1854). The Vatican Council and the definition

of the infallible magisterium of the Pope (1869-1870). The spoliation of the Holy See by Victor Emmanuel (1870). The initiation of the Kulturkampf in Germany (1872). The accession of Leo XIII. (1878). There were *ix Popes in the nineteenth century • Pius VII. from 1800 to 1823; Leo XII. from 1823 to 1829 • Pius VIII. from 1829 to 1830 ; Gregory XVI. from 1830 to 1846 • Pius IX from 1846 to 1878 ; Leo XIII., the present Supreme Pontiff, elected February 20, 1878.